I've been rewatching random G1 episodes, and going through some old TF comics (Marvel, DW, IDW) and noticed a few characters seem to have strong bonds that I hadn't noticed previously.

EG the G1 cartoon - Bluestreak and Ironhide. In MTMTE they're flying together and concerned for the other, and then in 'War Of The Dinobots' we again see Bluestreak doing his best to cover Ironhide, again obviously concerned and looking out for him.

Those two seem like a bit of an odd pairing to me.

Another I noticed is in the comics, Jazz and Wheeljack tend to be paired up quite a bit. This was in the DW and IDW material. Not quite an odd one as Bluestreak/Ironhide, but still something that stood out, and that has been used in more than one continuity in the comics.

One of my all-time favourite TF stories is Marvel issue #23, "Decepticon Graffiti", and it's almost entirely because of the strength of the characters and their relationships. Runamuck and Runabout are one of the only sets of Decepticons that we're shown, in all of G1, having a genuine, hearfelt friendship. these two guys LOVe each other's company, and it's utterly delightful.

I think nearly every other Decepticon 'friendship' is either just a pairing, or something inferred. Even Cyclonus and Scourge aren't really FRIENDS so much as partners... they certainly don't express much affection for each other.

Even Cyclonus and Scourge aren't really FRIENDS so much as partners... they certainly don't express much affection for each other.

I think the lack of affection is what makes them so believable. I don't know about you, but my friends and I spend a lot more time busting each other's balls than we do talking about how lucky we are to have each other...but when it comes down to it, with Cyclonus and Scourge yelling at each other about whether or not it was the right time to shoot Death's Head, Cyc backs down because Scourge says "look, he shot me once, so I shot him back". I can't imagine a Decepticon like Cyclonus accepting that as justification for cooling down unless Scourge's well-being, or at least feelings, were important to him.

You know what LV? You're right. In fact, you made me think of another one -- the Dinobots.

The Dinobots specifically in the UK comics stories "In the National Interest" and "Grudge Match". In the first story the Dinobots act so much like family/old friends. They bicker, and make fun of each other, and generally banter in such a natural, friend-shippy way. In the second story it's more about pure loyalty -- where the Dinobots come in and beat the crap out of the Predacons, all to save Swoop's pride, as much as saving his arse.

There's a bit of that in "King of the Hill", too, (Marvel US #27) but I think it's strongest in the two UK stories I cited.

The Dinobots specifically in the UK comics stories "In the National Interest" and "Grudge Match". In the first story the Dinobots act so much like family/old friends. They bicker, and make fun of each other, and generally banter in such a natural, friend-shippy way.

Everyone laughs at Swoop being stuck between modes, but if, like, Cliffjumper or Jazz had shown up and laughed at him? They'd be dead men.

I guess I'm kinda stuck at the moment, thinking about Decepticon relationships.

A common thing in Decepticon relationships is a kind of really one-sided loyalty thing, where the leader has this one guy who is super-ultra-over-the-top loyal to him, but for whom he doesn't really show any affection. Other than that... real realtionships among the Decepticons that aren't built on animosity seem... rare.

So yeah you get your G1 Cartoon Cyclonus, or your Scorponok (or Inferno) in Beast Wars. But those sorta... close friendships are relatively rare.

I think in the G1 cartoon the only Decepticons I can think of who show real genuine loyal comraderie are the Insecticons. They stick together, they back each other's plays. They're a real team. Still... it feels as much like them just sticking together because they're different to other Decepticons as it is them being actual FRIENDS.

Rumble and Frenzy seem to like Soundwave, I guess, or at least have some loyalty to him, based on them defending him in the movie. Though there's absolutely nothing I can think of that shows he actually likes them. The G1 cartoon is actually generally a problematic source for trying to determine actual RELATIONSHIPS between characters.

If they were paired together (I never noticed it) I'd suggest it was because of their voice actors. Casey Casem and Peter Cullen, respectively. Those two would have been employed for nearly every episode -- they also played Teletraan 1 and Optimus Prime. So getting them to play their secondary characters would be cheaper than getting in other voice actors (though there were also rules about how much they COULD double up, which makes it all the more complex).

I would also question the credibility of "they're on screen at the same time a lot" as evidence of them having a specific friendship.